Table Of ContentOn 30 November 2004, the leaders of the member-countries of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations and those of Australia
and New Zealand, bonded together in the Closer Economic
Relations, will meet in Vientiane. They are expected to issue a
joint declaration committing themselves to the substantial
enrichment of the ties between their two regions, which have
been expanding and evolving in ways that are of great benefit to
their peoples. This study by Michael Richardson and Chin Kin
Wah, Research Fellows at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies,
analyses the state of the relationship and its promise and makes
well-thought-out recommendations — eighteen in all. It makes
very useful reading in anticipation of a historic Summit.
Rodolfo C. Severino
Visiting Senior Research Fellow
ISEAS
Singapore
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C M Y CM MY CY CMY K
The Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) was established as an
autonomous organization in 1968. It is a regional research centre for scholars
and other specialists concerned with modern Southeast Asia, particularly the
many-faceted problems of stability and security, economic development, and
political and social change.
The Institute’s research programmes are the Regional Economic Studies
(RES, including ASEAN and APEC), Regional Strategic and Political Studies
(RSPS), and Regional Social and Cultural Studies (RSCS).
The Institute is governed by a twenty-two-member Board of Trustees
comprising nominees from the Singapore Government, the National University
of Singapore, the various Chambers of Commerce, and professional and civic
organizations. An Executive Committee oversees day-to-day operations; it is
chaired by the Director, the Institute’s chief academic and administrative officer.
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C M Y CM MY CY CMY K
First published in Singapore in 2004 by
ISEAS Publications
Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
30 Heng Mui Keng Terrace
Pasir Panjang
Singapore 119614
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: bookshop.iseas.edu.sg
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission
of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.
© 2004 Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore
ISEAS Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Australia-New Zealand & Southeast Asia relations : an agenda for closer
cooperation.
1. Asia, Southeastern—Relations—Australia.
2. Australia—Relations—Asia, Southeastern.
3. Asia, Southeastern—Relations—New Zealand.
4. New Zealand—Relations—Asia, Southeastern.
I. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.
DS525.9 A81A93 2004
ISBN 981-230-289-1
Typeset by Superskill Graphics Pte Ltd
Printed in Singapore by Seng Lee Press Pte Ltd
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CONTENTS
Foreword by K. Kesavapany vii
The Authors ix
Introduction 1
Executive Summary 4
Background to an Evolving ASEAN-ANZ Relationship 14
Chin Kin Wah
Shared Perceptions 25
Michael Richardson
Recommendations 44
Michael Richardson
Appendix 102
Participants at the Australia-New Zealand Leadership
Forum Inaugural Meeting 2004
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FOREWORD
On the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the ASEAN-
Australia Economic Cooperation Programme (AAECP), it is timely
that a study be made to examine the state of relations between
the two groups of countries and to recommend ways to improve
them. Australia and New Zealand are old friends of ASEAN, being
amongst the first Dialogue Partners and Defence Partners in the
security of the region. Although ASEAN and Australia/New Zealand
are geographically contiguous, there has not as yet been any
extensive, public study which explores the multi-faceted relations
between both sides, and offers concrete proposals to help
strengthen these relations.
With these aims in mind, the Institute of Southeast Asian
Studies (ISEAS) has commissioned this report. It is co-authored
by Mr Michael Richardson, a veteran journalist with a rich
experience and deep knowledge of Asia; and an academic
specializing in Southeast Asia, Dr Chin Kin Wah, who is a Senior
Fellow and researcher in ISEAS. The report presents an overview
of the growing relations between the countries concerned and
presents detailed and concrete recommendations for enhanced
economic linkages and cooperation in a systematic and thematic
manner.
This report is timely as it will be issued around the time the
leaders of Australia and New Zealand would be meeting their
ASEAN counterparts at the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos on
30 November 2004.
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viii Foreword
ISEAS hopes that such a policy oriented report will
contribute to a greater understanding of the dynamics of the
relations between the two sub-regions. I wish to express our
appreciation to Mr Michael Richardson and Dr Chin Kin Wah for
undertaking this pioneering study and to all those who
contributed towards this enterprise.
K KESAVAPANY
Director
ISEAS
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THE AUTHORS
Although this report was commissioned by the Institute of
Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS), the views expressed in it are
those of the respective authors:
Chin Kin Wah, a Senior Fellow at ISEAS in Singapore. He is a
specialist on regional affairs.
Michael Richardson, a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at ISEAS.
He is a former Asia Editor of the International Herald Tribune
who has also reported on Asia for newspapers in Australia and
New Zealand.
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ANZ & Southeast Asia Relations 1
INTRODUCTION
Australasia, encompassing Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), is
geographically separate from Southeast Asia. But over the past
few decades, the same forces that have driven globalization —
faster and easier travel, trade, investment, communications,
tourism and other exchanges of people, goods and services —
have drawn the two regions much closer together. Their
governments and citizens have increasingly become real life
neighbours, by talking, visiting, doing business, extending a helping
hand to those in difficulty, often squabbling, sometimes bitterly,
but gradually learning to live in close proximity.
This has happened as Australia and New Zealand have bonded
through the Closer Economic Relations (CER) agreement since it
was formally signed in 1983. They have reached the point where
their economies have become highly integrated. Meanwhile, the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), formed in 1967,
has expanded its membership and broadened the scope of its
cooperation to include trade and investment liberalization. From
having five founding members — Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore and Thailand — ASEAN has been enlarged
to include Brunei and, more recently, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos
and Vietnam. These ten countries have launched the ASEAN
Free Trade Area (AFTA).
Study Framework
This report is sponsored by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
(ISEAS) in Singapore. It summarizes the state of relations between
ANZ and Southeast Asia, then suggests ways to strengthen them.
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